Meet the Chef: Nicholas Leiss Founder of Farm2ChefsTable

By inside + out | May 7, 2024

Well-seasoned Chef Nicholas Leiss is kicking off his Farms2ChefsTable Series this spring with pop-up culinary experiences at unique locations across the Hudson Valley and a taste of what’s to come with his soon-to-be-budding restaurant, Oscine. The first offering is a not-to-be-missed dinner at Catskill Wagyu at Hilltop Farm in Accord on July 14th. Each coveted event will celebrate our dedicated local growers, artisans, and sustainability through connection and the work of this incredible chef.

Chef Nicholas delights in serving up memorable experiences that ignite the senses and connect us more deeply to place. He carries an inherited passion for cooking and a lifetime of hands-on learning with world-renowned, trailblazing chefs while knowing first-hand the power of good food to season memory and a well-lived life. Delicious and artful without being fussy, he uses only the best and freshest ingredients to invoke an “eat with your eyes first” encounter that soon converges with…delicious. Be sure to book your seat at his table throughout the season, as spots are limited and already selling out.

First stop: Hilltop for a farm-to-table feast made from hyper-local ingredients raised and grown right on the farm or nearby. In addition to hearing Chef Leiss talk about his inspiration and process, you’ll also meet Becky and Bart, two of our beloved local farmers, to learn of their adventures, challenges and delights. Dress up or dress down, pull on your galoshes and join us for an afternoon walk to a rolling field with panoramic views for drinks and appetizers (or be carried to join us in a chariot hayride) before a five-course family-style dinner in the quaint farm shop.

FEAST ON THE FARM
Catskill Wagyu at Hilltop Farm
Sunday, July 14th | 5 pm – 9:30 pm
Purchase Tickets Here

THE MENU
Potato Ramp Soup
Upstate Abundance Potato, Foraged Ramps

Which came first?
Galantine of Bresse Chicken, Hen Egg, Morel Conserva

Cast Iron Roasted Beets
Smoked Beef Tongue, Celery, Rhubarb Mostarda, Rebecca’s Feta

Many Cuts, Many Ways
Catskill Wagyu Beef, Spring Alliums,Horseradish

Sticky Toffee Pudding
Bone Marrow Toffee, Creme Fraiche Ice Cream

This magical dinner will be co-produced by INSIDE+OUT and Jenny Wonderling. Meet your neighbors or deepen friendships and taste the best of what lovingly raised beef, Bresse chickens and the bounty of the region can be. Not to mention, for part of the dinner, we will enjoy our second “Ask Me Anything” format, which invokes open-hearted communication, deep listening and authentic sharing. The simple guidelines were inspired by an indigenous practice of circular communication called “Council,” which Jack Zimmerman and many peacekeepers worldwide also work with to invite deeper connection, even amongst adversarial groups, in prisons, restorative justice settings and more.

It will be an incredibly fun event and we hope to see you there! Now, let’s learn more about Chef Nicholas Leiss!

INSIDE+OUT UPSTATE NY: What was your earliest visceral or impactful food memory?

Chef Nicholas Leiss: At the age of five, in Pennsylvania, I cooked alongside my grandma on a little step stool while my mother worked at the restaurant. I couldn’t even reach the stove to see what was cooking but the flickering flame of the stovetop caught my attention like it had a story to tell. At that age, I knew nothing about chefs and farm-to-table food, and I could barely crack an egg. I just knew I was lucky to have my grandmothers tell their stories through food and a mother who cooked in a fancy restaurant. My mother cooked for people day in and day out with a ton of pride and a smile on her face, and this instilled a passion in me to cook for others. This was my childhood, surrounded by great cooks, great family, great friends, and great meals. Life was simple– I was a happily fed kid.

Over the years, as I developed as a chef, I realized that making bacon, eggs and toast with my great-grandmother was the first dish I had ever learned to cook. And for this, Farm2ChefsTable has started the works on a Restaurant Pop-Up Series called Oscine (Latin for songbird), which is in honor of my great-grandmother who would sing “The Song of Songbirds” in the morning to us as we made breakfast.

What inspired you to become a chef? What was your journey?

I spent many years cooking for my family and read cookbooks like they were culinary adventure novels. These books and a passion for cooking led to my first cooking job at age 14, working alongside my mother at the restaurant she ran. Shortly after, I began working for Charlie Gipe, a CIA alumni in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I happily preferred cooking to my day-to-day schooling. In my senior year of high school, I enrolled in the local culinary arts program at Lebanon CTC. I felt most at home in the kitchen, getting nerdy with all the “kitchen lingo” and, most importantly, being inspired by my mentors at the time, Chef Corle and Chef Peffley. My thirst to continue learning continued after my high school culinary program ended. So, I made my way to The Culinary Institute of America with the support of Chef Gipe. In 2010, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree and was ready to dive into my career… Now it was time to make it in the big leagues.

Over the years, I worked with some great restaurants and mentors from New York City to the Hudson Valley. I was fortunate to work for Tom Colicchio at Colicchio & Sons, Chefs Club by Food & Wine and Gunter Seeger at his farm-to-table Michelin Star restaurant in NYC. I learned to balance the NYC chef life with many Hudson Valley restaurants. Global Palate, The Roundhouse and Valley Restaurant are some places that nurtured my passion for farm-to-table cuisine. My mentors, Jessica Winchell and Brandon Collins, taught me how to cook with the seasons, respecting the incredible bounty of fresh ingredients in the Hudson Valley and taking advantage of them at their peak. Previously, I led my own team at Hearth Restaurant, a hyper-local market-driven restaurant for General Electrics. However, one of the most recent highlights of my career was working at Noma in Copenhagen, which many consider one of the world’s top restaurants.

Your food is gorgeous. In addition to the accolades you obviously receive about taste, do you also have a background in art or another artistic medium, or do you keep your artistic expression to food?

I’m just naturally a creative person who enjoys art, but I don’t practice any art form. I believe you eat with your eyes first before digging into a plate.

You certainly worked with some amazing chefs in NYC. Who inspired you the most and what was your favorite experience as an up-and-coming chef?

This is a loaded question because every job I took was to gain knowledge and inspiration. I’ve learned a great deal from every chef I’ve worked with over the years. If I had to pinpoint the most inspirational restaurant I’ve worked at over the years, that would be Noma in Copenhagen. I truly learned something new every day while being immersed in great cuisine.

Tell us about your mission behind Farm2ChefsTable.

Farm2ChefsTable brings people back around the dinner table while savoring the bountiful seasons of the Hudson Valley. At these dinners, we chat about food ideas, shake the hands that feed us, walk the fields of local farmers, producers + artisans, and most importantly, share recipes and break bread around the dinner table as we support our local Hudson Valley community. I like to say we eat our way through the seasons with family and friends.

You partner with local farms for Farm2ChefsTable foodie events. What can we expect as the 2024 growing season kicks in?

This year, we’re expanding Farm2ChefsTable through our Restaurant Pop-Up series that will showcase what Oscine (our future restaurant) will look like in the Hudson Valley. We cook within the seasons, so our menus change on a whim and are “market/farm dependent.” Saving the season’s bounty is a large focus of our cuisine at Farm2ChefsTable. We generally focus on preserving each season to be as sustainable as possible throughout the year. This allows us to blur the line of what truly “seasonality” is by ways of preservation.

We’re excited about your pop-up dinner at Catskill Wagyu at Hilltop Farms. How did you meet Bart and Becky, and tell us about this event?

I’ve been following Bart and Becky on Instagram for some time, indirectly through other regional chefs. Their way of farming aligns with my ethos of cooking. We were formally introduced by a mutual friend, Dana, and we met at their farm to chat. This dinner focuses on their wonderful beef and chickens and the spring bounty of the Hudson Valley. It will be great to cook with their Wagyu Beef and Bresse Chickens for the guests and showcase the early offerings of Spring.

Who or what inspires your menus?

Creativity, along with seasonal bounties, farmers, artisans, and producers of the Hudson Valley inspire our menus.

What do you love most about living + working in the Hudson Valley?

I love working closely with the farmers of the Hudson Valley because they are the direct liaison between telling my story through food to our guests.

What impact does your business have on your community?

We strive to source all our ingredients from the local communities of farmers, artisans, and producers. We believe that you should shake the hand that feeds you. This allows us to support our community through meals.

What local businesses do you rely on to be successful?

Since I work with many farmers, artisans and producers throughout the region, I believe they are the key to my success. Each of them adds value to our unique menus and our guests.

What is your favorite thing to eat/cook when you’re home alone or with your family?

My go-to meal when I’m home alone is Cacio e Pepe. It’s quick, easy, and comforting. We cook a lot at home, so there is always a revolving door of recipes to choose from. As a family, we love chicken wings at home, often with Jerk seasoning.

Tell us something about yourself people might be surprised to learn?

I read a lot. I try to read about 2 hours a day. I believe knowledge is wisdom and that reading breaks up the fast-paced life I live.

Name three things you always have in your fridge/pantry.

Dried Mushrooms (Boletes), Kelp, Great Quality Salt

What was the best dish or meal you’ve ever had and who made it?

My Mom’s Chicken Pot Pie. Where I grew up in Pennsylvania, we made chicken pot pie, which is completely different from the rest of the country. We made chicken soup and boiled thick-cut noodles into that soup. This meal is comforting to me and always reminds me of my childhood.

What’s missing in the area that you wish we had?

An indoor farmers market that is open year-round with a focus on local meat, dairy, and vegetables and supplemented with artisanal international products. When I was working in Copenhagen, they had this gem of a place called Torvehallerne. It’s an indoor market where you can get local meat from butchers, fishmongers, cheese shops, a quick meal at a small food stall, and specialty ingredients from around the world like spices, charcuterie, olives, and wine. It’s so convenient, and I think something like this with a focus on quality goods is needed.

Tell us about your favorites…

Fave Restaurant & Bar
I cook in more than I go out but my favorite spot to go is BJ’s in Beacon. Hands down, the best fried chicken and mac-n-cheese around.

Go-to Coffee Shop or Bakery
I’m not really a coffee or bakery person, but I do enjoy a nice cup of Harney & Sons Irish Breakfast at home with a dollop of local honey and some homemade sourdough bread and butter.

Fave Local View
Olana in Hudson. Beautiful, Zen-like view of the Hudson River, especially during the autumn.

Fave local activity
Hiking and foraging.

Sunday Routine
The local farmers market with my daughter and then settling into a nice home-cooked meal.

Are you working on any special projects or events that you’d like to share?

Again, Oscine will be the restaurant under the Farm2ChefsTable Hospitality Group. It will be a dual-concept restaurant featuring a tavern with open-hearth cooking and a dining room that showcases progressive Hudson Valley cuisine through a multi-course tasting menu. Oscine will also have a farm that will provide the restaurant with specialty ingredients, which will be a large focus of the menu.

That is very exciting, we can’t wait for the opening! Lastly, what do you do when you’re not at the restaurant?

What are you reading?
Right now, I’m reading a book called Flavorama, and also Third Plate.

What are you listening to?
Andrew Talks to Chefs Podcast.

What was your last home-cooked meal?
Chicken Tortilla Soup. And, my favorite home-cooked meal is my wife’s Oxtail and Curried Chicken.

What’s your current state of mind?

Slow down to speed up. Oftentimes, my mind is racing at the speed of light, but I’ve been practicing slowing down to focus and concentrate on the long curve and manifestations of my projects

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📸 Photos Courtesy of Chef Nicholas Leis | Megan Spiro Photography @meghanspirophotography + @meghanspiro

Follow/Connect with Chef Nicholas Leis via Website | Facebook | Instagram

Join us as Chef Leiss explores the terroir of the Hudson Valley Region and shines a light on the breadbasket of New York.
FOR TICKETS and more info on Chef Nicholas Leiss’ Farms2ChefsTable series, Info HERE.

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